What AS9100 and NADCAP Mean for Your Hiring Process

Aerospace and defense manufacturing has a compliance layer most other manufacturing sectors don’t: AS9100 quality systems, NADCAP special-process certification, and in many cases FAA manufacturing approvals. Hiring for this world without understanding those credentials leads to costly mismatches.

Why generalist staffing gets this wrong

A recruiter unfamiliar with the space will often present “quality engineer” or “machinist” candidates who are strong in general manufacturing but have never worked inside an AS9100 quality system or a NADCAP-audited special process. On paper the resumes look similar. In practice, the ramp-up time — and audit risk — is completely different.

What to actually screen for

For quality roles: direct experience operating inside AS9100 requirements, not just familiarity with ISO 9001 (AS9100 is built on it, but adds aerospace-specific requirements that matter in practice). For special processes — welding, heat treat, NDT, coatings — NADCAP experience specifically, since that’s a distinct certification from general quality work. For machining, tolerances and materials experience specific to aerospace components, which are often tighter and less forgiving than general precision work.

The cost of getting it wrong

A quality engineer who doesn’t understand AS9100 documentation requirements, or a machinist unfamiliar with aerospace material certifications, isn’t just slower to ramp — they’re a real audit and compliance risk on programs where that matters enormously.

What good aerospace recruiting looks like

A recruiting partner who can ask the right follow-up questions about a candidate’s AS9100 or NADCAP experience — not just check a box that says “aerospace experience” — is the difference between a slate you can trust and one you have to re-screen yourself.

If you’re hiring for aerospace or defense manufacturing roles, tell us what you’re hiring for — or see our full approach on the Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing page.